ZERO GRAVITY PARAGLIDING SPAIN — Attraction in Algodonales

If I could have given 6 stars, I would. I have no doubt that learning to paraglide with Zero Gravity has been one of the best experiences of my life.

I was apprehensive at first - heights make me very uncomfortable. I booked the combined EP + CP course as a personal challenge, to overcome fear and to experience flight. The instructors Luisma, Ivan, Jorge and José are the pinnacle of professionalism, patient but firm, with excellent English and tons of passion, and built up my confidence through a multifaceted curriculum of theory, ground handling, tandem and solo flying until I was soaring and relaxed in the sky!

They are all extraordinary pilots, have vast local expertise about terrain and weather, and are meticulously safety-aware, including a healthy mistrust of other pilots outside of the school. If the conditions and situation were not perfect for learning, we did not fly - and this was exactly what I wanted as a timid beginner, and this bolstered my confidence when it was time for me to launch. We were almost always the first to each launch site too - completing our first flights of the day before the other schools arrived.

Algodonales is a beautiful little pueblo blanco nestled in a valley with stunning scenery all around - dramatic hills with geologic formations, rolling farmland, lakes Moorish castles. The visibility was amazing.  We did the course in February 2024 and the weather was generally great, with a few days of rain which kept the vegetation lush and green. Apparently Algodonales gives you more flyable days of the year than anywhere else in the world, because you need a launch site for every possible wind direction. On days when we couldn't fly, the instructors were kind enough to take us to nearby attractions like Cueva de la Pileta, where we saw twenty thousand year old cave paintings and incredible stalactites. Out of pure luck, the Carnival took place on the middle Saturday of our course, where the whole town comes out in fancy dress and dances to music on floats pulled by local tractors! They burned an effigy by the church on the Sunday. The food in Algodonales is very tasty and very cheap if you're coming from London. All across the town there are natural mineral water springs which you can drink from freely. We went on runs in the evenings and hikes up the neighbouring mountains and spent some time in Ronda - Algodonales would have been a nice holiday even if we weren't learning to fly!

By the end of the two weeks, I had 19 flights under my belt (4 in tandem), at 5 different sites. I had seen a 70 year old student fly happily. And most importantly, I knew that I had taken a profound, courageous, and memorable step towards living the life I had always dreamed of: as a paragliding club pilot, adventuring through the atmosphere in zero gravity.

I will be back as soon as I can to do a Low Air Time Pilot...

My husband and I have just spent a brilliant two weeks with the fantastic Zero Gravity team doing our EP and CP qualifications, back to back. We could not recommend them highly enough, they have been absolutely amazing. All the team are extremely knowledgeable with many, many years experience of paragliding each, but they are also excellent teachers and make the complicated concepts of flight and meteorology accessible at an entry level; a combination of skills which is rare. The courses are a mixture of theory and practical sessions with tandem flights used in the early sessions which really builds confidence when you then take to the sky solo. Safety is given top priority with multiple kit and radio checks and the guys go the extra mile to find the best conditions for your level. We flew from five different sites during our two week stay, completing 14 solo flights each. Be prepared for long days (often starting at 8-9am, with a couple of hours for lunch, and finishing at 8-9pm if the conditions are right) - the focus is always on getting you in the air, safely. Our top tips for beginners would be to bring gloves, a wind proof and long trousers / long sleeved tops as you will get some scrapes and bruises and it can be chilly at the top of the mountains. Above all though, you will have a lot of fun and we both want to say a big THANK YOU to José, Pablo, Luisma, Javi & Ivan for a...

Three things will (most likely) happen after you learn with Zero Gravity (1) you will fly - solo! (2) you will find your tribe (3) you will want to come back to Zero Gravity. And soon! Optional 4): for many crazy ones like us, you will find yourself getting addicted to 🪂

ZG‘s team are big on safety, teach amazingly and are SO motivated to help their students learn well, enjoy their flight while being safe.

It doesn’t get better than Algodonales in Spain and ZG are the local eagles 🦅 They know their terrain, have eons of experience and are deeply dedicated. An example would be - when the weather conditions don’t permit closer flying sites, the guys will drive you two hours away to the coast if it is flyable there! 🙏🏼🙌🏼

“Who are these mysterious local rockstars” you ask? José, Luisma, Jorge, Iván, George :) 🤩

Despite the tangible techniques that one learns on the skill, there is something about paragliding that makes it gloriously esoteric ❤️

Even for the least spiritual of us - flying without an engine will make us feel alive; we grab the ephemeral even if for a few minutes. And move outside a comfort zone that is both exciting and yet strangely comfortable.

Final words: You‘ve got to experience it! It is beautiful and simply epic with Zero Gravity. (ps: no commissions awarded for this review, I promise) 😄 And...